Microsoft has released cumulative update KB5074170 for Windows 11, version 25H2 for insiders on the Dev channel – Windows 11 Insider Preview Quality Update (26300.7674). This update includes a number of fixes and improvements aimed at increasing system stability and ease of use, and also eliminates several critical bugs that users encountered in previous builds.
- File Explorer. Fixed an issue where the Extract All option did not appear in the command bar when viewing non-ZIP archives.
- Start Menu. Addressed a problem where pressing the Hide this panel button in the mobile devices side panel did not apply the corresponding setting for some insiders.
- Search. Fixed an error where the search process showed an icon with a cross (X) instead of the standard magnifying glass icon.
- Settings. Made internal changes aimed at resolving situations where the main page of the Settings app could load too slowly.
- Display and Graphics. Fixed an issue where a small number of insiders experienced secondary monitors displaying incorrectly or showing a black screen after recent updates.
- Other. Resolved an internal error from a previous build that could lead to unexpected system sign-in failures when using Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365, and also fixed a problem where some insiders encountered a blue screen (BSOD) with error SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION after installing recent builds.
Known issues:
- Start Menu. New issue: Microsoft is working on fixing an error where clicking an item to display additional applications in a category may not work when using the Start menu in category mode.
- File Explorer. New issue: An internal error has been identified causing all open File Explorer windows and tabs to unexpectedly switch to the desktop or the Home page.
- Xbox Full-Screen Mode for PC. Some applications may behave unpredictably when using Xbox Full-Screen mode (FSE), especially those designed for a fixed window size or that launch additional windows.
- Taskbar and Notification Area. Microsoft continues to work on fixing an issue where application icons do not appear in the system tray for some insiders, even though they should be present.
- Click to Do. Work is ongoing to fix an error where the Microsoft 365 Copilot query field for selected images does not function if the Microsoft 365 Copilot application is not running.
Installation via Windows Update: go to Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates. A computer restart is required to complete the installation.
Please note! Update KB5074170 is delivered in the form of checkpoint updates. These cumulative updates will be smaller in size and contain only changes since the last checkpoint, which will speed up the download and installation process, saving bandwidth and disk space. Therefore, before installing it manually, you must install previous updates – KB5043080 (Build 26100.1742) for Windows 11, version 24H2.
| Feature / Change | Performance Impact (Speed) | Optimization | PC Speed | Gaming Optimization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File Explorer: Extract All option for non-ZIP archives fixed | 🟢 Slight improvement (UI action available) | 🟢 Better workflow efficiency | ⚪ Neutral | ⚪ No impact |
| Start Menu: Hide this panel button setting now applies correctly | ⚪ Neutral | 🟢 Minor UI consistency fix | ⚪ Neutral | ⚪ No impact |
| Search: Corrected magnifying glass icon instead of X | ⚪ Neutral | 🟢 Cosmetic/UI fix | ⚪ Neutral | ⚪ No impact |
| Settings: Internal changes to speed up main page loading | 🟢 +5-15% faster load (estimated) | 🟢 Reduced initialization overhead | 🟢 Slightly snappier access | ⚪ No direct impact |
| Display/Graphics: Fixed secondary monitor black screen / incorrect display | 🟢 High for multi-monitor users | 🟢 Restores expected display output | 🟢 Prevents GPU-related hangs | 🟢 +Better stability in multi-monitor gaming |
| Other: Fixed Azure Virtual Desktop / Windows 365 sign-in failures | 🟢 High for cloud PC users | 🟢 Eliminates unexpected crashes | 🟢 Prevents system lockups | ⚪ No impact |
| Other: Fixed BSOD SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION | 🟢 Critical (prevents crashes) | 🟢 System stability restored | 🟢 No unexpected reboots | 🟢 +Avoids in-game crashes |
| Known: Start Menu category mode – items may not expand | ⚪ Neutral | 🔴 UI bug (pending fix) | ⚪ Neutral | ⚪ No impact |
| Known: File Explorer windows/tabs switch to desktop unexpectedly | 🔴 Workflow disruption | 🔴 Pending fix | 🔴 Minor productivity loss | ⚪ No impact |
| Known: Xbox Full-Screen Mode – apps may behave unpredictably | 🔴 Potential FPS/input lag in affected apps | 🔴 Compatibility issue | 🔴 Possible stutter | 🔴 Can affect full-screen gaming |
| Known: Taskbar icons missing in system tray | ⚪ Neutral | 🔴 UI/notification issue | ⚪ Neutral | ⚪ No impact |
| Known: Click to Do – Copilot query field for images fails if app not running | ⚪ Neutral | 🔴 Feature blocked until app runs | ⚪ Neutral | ⚪ No impact |
Find and Change Settings
| Setting | Where to find | How to change |
|---|---|---|
| File Explorer Extract All option | File Explorer > Command Bar | The Extract All option now appears correctly in the command bar when viewing non-ZIP archives. No user action is required; the fix is applied automatically after installing the update. To verify, open File Explorer, select a non-ZIP archive, and check that the Extract All button is visible in the command bar. |
| Start Menu mobile devices side panel | Start Menu > Mobile devices side panel > Hide this panel button | The Hide this panel button now correctly applies its setting for all insiders. To use it, open the Start Menu, open the mobile devices side panel, and press the Hide this panel button. The panel will now remain hidden as intended. |
| Search process icon | Taskbar > Search | The search process now displays the standard magnifying glass icon instead of a cross (X). No action is needed. To confirm, click the Search icon on the taskbar and verify that the magnifying glass icon appears correctly. |
| Settings app main page loading | Settings > Main page | Internal changes have been made to improve loading speed of the Settings main page. No user configuration is required. If the page still loads slowly, restart the Settings app or reboot the PC. |
| Secondary monitor display | Settings > System > Display | The issue with secondary monitors displaying incorrectly or showing a black screen has been fixed. If you still experience problems, go to Settings > System > Display and check the multiple display arrangement, or reconnect the monitor cable and update the graphics driver. |
| Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 sign-in | Azure Virtual Desktop / Windows 365 session | The internal error causing unexpected sign-in failures has been resolved. No user action is required. Ensure your client and session hosts are updated to the latest build to benefit from the fix. |
| Blue screen SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION | System > Recovery | The issue causing BSOD with SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION after installing recent builds has been fixed. If you still encounter a blue screen, go to Settings > System > Recovery and use the Startup Repair or uninstall the latest quality update. |
Official announcement on the Microsoft website.
The last 10 Windows updates:
| Update | Build | Version | Windows | Channel | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KB5121157 | 28020.2818 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Beta | 2026-08-31 |
| KB5121158 | 28120.2824 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Experimental | 2026-08-31 |
| KB5121794 | 26300.9278 | 26H2 | Windows 11 | Preview | 2026-08-27 |
| KB5121132 | 28120.2760 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Experimental | 2026-08-21 |
| KB5124040 | 26220.9223 | 25H2 | Windows 11 | Beta | 2026-08-21 |
| KB5124042 | 26340.9233 | 26H2 | Windows 11 | Experimental | 2026-08-21 |
| KB5121106 | 28020.2731 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Beta | 2026-08-17 |
| KB5121109 | 28120.2738 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Experimental | 2026-08-17 |
| KB5124036 | 26220.9202 | 25H2 | Windows 11 | Beta | 2026-08-17 |
| KB5124038 | 26340.9212 | 26H2 | Windows 11 | Experimental | 2026-08-17 |